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Cheesecake is the perfect ending to any dinner

By LORENE PIECZONKA
First Coast Technical Institute'sSchool of Culinary Arts

Lemon-Swirl Cheesecake

This recipe offers the best of a cheesecake and a lemon meringue pie, in a reduced fat version.

Crust:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces

1 tbsp. ice water

cooking spray

Filling:

3-8 oz. blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened

2-8 oz. blocks 1/3 less reduced fat cream cheese, softened

13/4 cups sugar

3 tbsp. all-purpose flour

21/2 tsp. grated lemon rind

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

5 each large eggs

1 cup lemon curd

Lemon Curd

3/4 cups sugar

1 tbsp. grated lemon rind

2 each large eggs

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 large lemons)

2 tbsp. butter or stick margarine

Note: Lemon curd should be made several hours or up to one week ahead of use and well chilled to set properly.

To make Lemon Curd: Combine the first three ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk. Cook until sugar dissolves and mixture is light in color, about 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and butter. Cook for 5 minutes or until mixture thinly coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cool, cover and chill. Yield 11/3 cup.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To prepare the crust, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Place 2/3 cup flour and 2 tbsp. sugar in food processor. Pulse 2 times until combined. Add chilled butter; pulse 6 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor on, slowly pour ice water through food chute, processing just until blended. Do not allow dough to form a ball. Firmly press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

To prepare the filling, beat cheeses at high speed of a mixer until smooth. Add 13/4 cups sugar and the next 4 ingredients and beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Pour the cheese mixture into prepared pan. Spoon mounds of Lemon Curd over the filling, and swirl together using the tip of a knife. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cheesecake is almost set. Remove cheesecake from oven, and cool to room temperature. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours. Yield: 16 servings.

Autumn Cheesecake

Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

3 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Filling:

2-8 oz. packs cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 each large eggs

Topping:

4 cups thin sliced apple slices

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 325 degrees

For crust: mix crumbs, 1/2 cup pecans, sugar, cinnamon, and butter or margarine. Press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes.

For filling: beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing at low speed after each addition, just until blended. Pour over crust.

For topping: toss apples with combined sugar and cinnamon.

Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese layer; sprinkle with 1/4 cup pecans.

Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or 1 hour and 15 minutes, until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake. Cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving. Makes 12 servings.

Stella's Sour Cream Cheesecake

One 9-inch prepared graham cracker crust

1 each well beaten egg

2-8 oz. packages of cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

cinnamon for dusting

Sour Cream Topping

3/4 cup sour cream

1 tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Put all filling ingredients in medium bowl and mix until well blended. Mixture will be of thick consistency. Place in oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Dust with cinnamon. Let cool to room temperature, approximately 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix sour cream, sugar, vanilla and salt. Spread over cheesecake and bake for 15 minutes. Refrigerate for several hours.

Garnish with cinnamon, fresh fruit, chocolate sauce or as desired.